I've noticed that Valeria Martynyuk has been promoted to second soloist, and Anastasia Nikitina has finally been promoted to a coryphee. Congratulations to both, and for me the promotion of Anastasia Nikitina is long overdue. I hope we won't wait for too long before her debut in her first major role.

In my opinion the two ex-Kirov girls on show stole the honours: Obraztsova dancing Nikiya's second act solo from Bayaderka and Zakharova in a piece by Nacho Duarto that actually suited her. It wasn't one of the best galas I've been to though.

These are a few comments by Sarah Crompton in The Telegraph about Mariinsky related performances at the Anna Pavlova Gala in London, Sunday.

"But what these tiny fragments of her past [photographs, etc. of Anna Pavlova] could not communicate was the power she exerted over audiences; in his programme note Clement Crisp quotes Arnold Haskell’s remark that “Pavlova danced as if she were living an experience. Every movement had the quality of inevitability.”

"Not every movement on stage was quite of that magnificence, but a surprising number were worthy of describing in the same breath. The wondrous Ulyana Lopatkina, for instance, performed the Russian dance Russkaya in a headress that looked like Pavlova’s and with the kind of investment in every step that you can imagine her illustrious predecessor would have shown; in John Neumeier’s Pavlova and Cecchetti, she embodied Pavlova’s lyrical classicism so well that you longed to see her in The Dying Swan - but Fokine’s solo was omitted from the programme except as a musical son-et-lumiere at the close.

"Elsewhere, Alina Cojocaru [who will be at this year's Mariinsky Festival] was passionately emotive in Neumier’s La Dame Aux Camélias, Alina Somova the incarnation of a Romantic ballerina in an extract from Giselle, and Svetlana Zakharova [also will be at Festival] a sinuous pleasure in another new work, Nacho Duato’s Cor Perdut.

My understanding since, Cassandra, is that Myriam Ould-Braham has not danced this before (possibly because of her height, she isn't very tall, I believe) and deserves great credit for doing so at this gala.

I've been watching a very brief internet video clip of Olga Smirnova dancing Nikiya (at the palace) from "La Bayadere" at the Bolshoi. Having just seen Veronika Part dance the same role twice in Washington DC several weeks ago, I find the resemblance to be Remarkable! Olga Smirnova's total command of the stage is pure !Veronika!. This just-out-of-school (Vaganova) Wonder(!) could well be on her way to being ! Veronika II !, among other incredible things, such as the Bolshoi's next Principal dancer.

I guess that I'll have to start discussing her at the Bolshoi topic someday, but like !Veronika! (ABT) she will somehow always be a Vaganova/Mariinsky 'girl' in my heart.

Today's press release from the Mariinsky announces that Balanchine's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" will be performed June 6, 7 and 17 as part of the White Nights Festival this year. So for those wondering where it disappeared to, here is to hoping that programming sticks.

Cassandra, just to jump back to your mention of Obratsova. She appeared during the festival to a VERY warm audience reception here -- If I am not mistaken it may have been her first performance on her old "home stage" since transferring to the Bolshoi. She danced Tchaikovsky pas with Mathew Golding and it was absolutely stunning. Both of them held their own, but they were also (I thought) well-matched, which isn't always the case with guest artists from different schools/companies. She has always been a well-rounded dancer in terms of presentation, and she made this version of the Tchaikovsky Pas truly her own in terms of musicality and the nuance she embedded into her performance. It is really night and day comparing these virtuoso performances (hers being one among many), if I may call them that, to some of what occurs on American stages. One really feels that *this* is true ballet.

I was thrilled to see her, and pleased she had been invited to the festival in general. She was a positive, high-caliber addition to the programming, and I hope she continues to return here during the White Nights and beyond.

In between festivals and tours—Switzerland and Moscow were the most recent stops--the Mariinsky Ballet finally found footing on their home stage for several nights on Saturday, when the company performed George Balanchine's "Jewels." Tickets were completely sold out for the chance to see Uliana Lopatkina in one of her signature roles, the lead in the third act, "Diamonds," but each of the three sections sparkled in their own right.

When Gabriel Faure's soothing score opened the ballet, symmetry reigned as the corps de ballet wove their careful lines on stage, the ornate patterns suggesting the careful tending of a Versailles garden. The dancers, in long, pale green skirts with deep emerald satin bodices, seemed to have emerged from a Degas painting and devoted equal attention to the steps and music. Maria Shirinkina, warmer and with more depth and nuance to her dancing than in other abstract ballets, was accompanied by Maxim Zuizin, who accompanied her reliably in all of the partnering sequences, and seemed at ease in his own turns and jumps. As the second soloist, Daria Vasnetsova lent a softness to her solo, her supple arches placed into each piqué arabesque carefully, presenting faultless lines in arabesque and échappés as light as meringue. In the pas de trois, a joyful Svetlana Ivanova drew the most attention, delicate but accurate, alongside Yana Selina and Alexei Popov. Ivanova's dancing, faultless and self-assured, offered an ideal for others to match. Yana Selina's strong piqué "walks" en pointe echoed the section's themes of structure and intersection, and Popov's beautiful legs were a pleasure to watch during his easy pirouettes.

"Rubies" greets with an element of shock: short, ruby red leotards; high legs, and all of the flash and fanfare of Broadway in New York set to the bold sounds of Stravinsky. Here Viktoria Tereshkina led the way with what seemed for her an unusual sense of abandon, alongside Alexander Sergeyev, who personalized the steps with playful interaction. Tereshkina's ever-reliable technique allows her a freedom in neoclassical roles such as this; Sergeyev is simply a dream, both dramatically and technically. Yulia Stepanova danced the single soloist role with strong presentation but untidy delivery. In the partnered section, Alexei Nedviga, Anton Pimonov, Denis Zainetdinov and Vasiliy Tkachenko all did justice to their responsibilities as her cavaliers.

But it is "Diamonds" that one waits to see, and there is no better casting choice for the queen of Imperial classicism than Uliana Lopatkina. This section pays homage to Petipa, with white tutus and (in the final procession) long white gloves, and is most suited to Balanchine's home stage, his roots at the Mariinsky. Here the corps de ballet, all trained at the same school, in the same style, for nine long years, sparkle like true gems, moving in unison, like a diamond shifting under the light. The grand style of classicism, long lines, diagonals and arabesques hint at times at the Russian influence, with a brief allusion to Russian folk dance here, and --in the soloist's section-- moments from Odette's encounter from Siegfried there. If there was any doubt over the symbolism, sections from Tchaikovsky's Third Symphony in D major provide the score, carving a path of imperialistic grandeur. Lopatkina, adorned in white satin, beige tulle and the twinkle of diamonds, while surrounded by other gemstones, danced as the crowning jewel. At moments a woman, a swan, or a shining gemstone, all to the sounds of swelling violins, she emitted the essence of tsarist splendor and refined classicism. Her cavalier was Evgeny Ivanchenko, who delivered a swift jété manège but seemed distracted in some of the final duet work.

While neoclassicism is not this troupe's typical forté, tonight's performance of "Jewels" certainly suggested that this multi-faceted ballet is best performed by dancers who can display the nuances of each of its three sections -- and the Mariinsky dancers did just that.

Today's press release from the Mariinsky announces that Balanchine's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" will be performed June 6, 7 and 17 as part of the White Nights Festival this year. So for those wondering where it disappeared to, here is to hoping that programming sticks.

Hi, Catherine. Thanks so much for your reports! So I see that partial casting is up for the first two "Midsummer Dreams" on June 6 and 7. (Apparently, the planned performance on the 17th was replaced by Giselle.) I'm so pleased to read that the two Titanias will be Terioshkina and Kondaurova. However, several of us 'Mariinsky Followers' could not help but notice that the cast sheets are missing the name of the couple that has the largest amount of classical dancing in Act II -- the Wedding Divertissement Pas de Deux' dancers, roles that usually go to principals (Violette Verdy and Conrad Ludlow at the 1962 premiere; Allegra Kent subsequently). I wonder who will be the leading Act II ballerina(s) and danseur? Inquiring minds would love to know.

I'm also curious that Schlyarov is not among the Oberons...the leading male dancing role in Act I. Zverev seems right but I'm a tad surprised that the demi-caractere-looking Timur Askerov was selected...and for the opening night, to boot! (Huh?) Perhaps Schklyarov is being 'saved' for the Act II Pas de Deux, dancing with "Ms X"?

To put it all into context: We don't know who'll be the leading classical dancers of Act II, yet we know that Alexander Romanchikov and Alexei Kuzmin will share the role of Theseus, an all-mime bit role. Big mystery.

I look forward to reading your insights on the big premiere -- either here or in Dance Europe!

p.s. Will you also be attending any of the Vaganova Academy graduations? I am looking forward to reading how Arina Varentseva, Ernest Latipov and other talked-about graduating students fare in the concerts and where they may be dancing next season (i.e., if they'll go to the Mariinsky or elsewhere, as recent top graduates have done).

It's the middle of the night but the 'posting god' won't let me go to bed until I write something. Natalia, please let me skip back for a moment since Catherine has brought Jewels to our attention and because I've been going back and forth between the actual Balanchine NYCB dvd of segment of Emeralds and Diamonds and the Mariinsky Jewels dvd.

In the Mariinsky Emeralds I would have to say that Zhana Ayupova is Absolutely Precious and Daria Soukhoroukova is an Absolute Dream !

In Diamonds Ulyana Lopatkina is of Heaven and Earth and Igor Zelensky is there to add a fine sense of 'authenticity' as he actually danced with the NYCB.

Suzanne Farrell is the Guiding Spirit in Diamonds.

If you want Heart and Soul maybe turn to Balanchine's NYCB and Suzanne Farrell. If you want Angels maybe watch the Mariinsky. But never say that the NYCB isn't touched by the Angels or that the Mariinsky doesn't have Heart and Soul.

Based on several viewings of the Mariinsky Jewels dvd I would highly recommend it.

Maybe someone else would like to comment on this and maybe I can add a few more thoughts after some more viewing.

Buddy, I never saw Violette Verdy in Emeralds -- the first and, purportedly, the grandest Emeralds lead of all. As I never saw her...I cannot imagine a more perfect Emeralds lead than Zhanna Ayupova. I've seen a lot of Emeralds 'live' in my time and nobody has come close to the allure and 'perfume' of Ayupova. The DVD captures some of what it was to experience her live.

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